I’ve been trotting the globe in pursuit of wine, food and travel stories for over 13 years. From the vineyards of New Zealand to the press houses of Champagne, I’ve met a world of fascinating people who have stories to share. In between adventures I review restaurants for The Atlantan and contribute to several global and national outlets including: USA Today, Decanter, Men’s Book and TravelChannel.com. I've also co-authored a travel guide (The Everything Guide to Ireland), edited a city guide for Atlanta (Northstar Media) and worked as a Senior Editor at The Wine Report. I was recently awarded the MAGS Association Magnolia Award for excellence in writing and editing and currently hold a Wine and Spirits Education Trust Intermediate Certificate.

Mix It Up With Blood Orange Cocktails For Spring And Summer

Blood Orange season comes to a close in March, but you can keep this fruit’s vibrant, slightly bitter juiciness alive with a summery blood orange cocktail. Named for their ruby red interior, the blood orange tastes much like a regular orange but with a spicy, slightly bitter kick. The fruit originated in Sicily and of course the Sicilians found a clever way to keep the blood orange spirit alive by crafting a liqueur: Solerno.

Made exclusively from Sicilian blood oranges, Solerno is the creation of master distiller Lesley Gracie, (also the creator of Hendrick’s Gin). Essential blood orange oils are combined with fresh Italian lemons and a neutral spirit base, and then lightly sweetened with natural sugar, sucrose…not corn syrup. Solerno’s heady orange aromas make this liqueur intoxicating enough to drink over ice, or with lemon flavored sparkling water, but it plays quite nicely in the cocktail format. An ideal way to get things started is with a fresh bubbly Prosecco. Just mix in 2 parts blood orange puree or juice, 3 parts Prosecco and 1 part Solerno….if you can’t score fresh blood oranges (which is a challenge out of season) just mix 5 parts Prosecco to 1 part Solerno…you’ll still enjoy a refreshing fizzy drink with a citrus pop. Below are two summery elixirs to keep summer cool this year:

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